Brewers win first World Series: 5 facts as Milwaukee beat Rays 4-1 to end 57-season wait for MLB title

The Milwaukee Brewers are World Series champions for the first time in franchise history. They closed out the Tampa Bay Rays 4-1 in Game 5 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, on Wednesday, October 28 (US time), taking the series 4-1 and ending a long drought for the club and the city.

Franchise’s first title after 57 seasons in Milwaukee

This marked the Milwaukee Brewers’ first World Series title and their first appearance in the Fall Classic since 1982, a gap of 44 years. The championship arrived in the franchise’s 57th season in Milwaukee. It was also the city’s first World Series crown since the Milwaukee Braves won in 1957. With this result, the Seattle Mariners, San Diego Padres, Tampa Bay Rays and Colorado Rockies remain the only current MLB franchises without a title.

Dominant postseason record of 12-2

Milwaukee’s postseason was one-sided. The Brewers went 12-2 across the playoffs, one of the strongest records since MLB expanded its postseason format in 1995. Their only series loss came in Game 4, when the Rays won 4-3 in 12 innings to avoid a sweep and force a decisive fifth game.

Jacob Misiorowski’s strong start in the clincher

Starter Jacob Misiorowski set the tone in Game 5. He threw 5⅔ scoreless innings before a calf cramp forced him out in the sixth. He earned the win, his second of the series. Milwaukee led 4-0 before the Rays managed a run in the ninth. Chandler Simpson doubled with two outs to drive in Liam Hicks. Closer Trevor Megill then induced a ground ball for the final out.

William Contreras named World Series MVP

Catcher William Contreras was voted Most Valuable Player of the World Series. He hit .381 with four RBIs across the five games. Rookie shortstop Cooper Pratt also shone in the clincher. He set a World Series rookie record with hits in six consecutive plate appearances and later added a sacrifice fly that extended the lead to 4-0.

Fans celebrate in St. Petersburg and back home

Game 5 drew 40,489 spectators, with thousands of Brewers supporters making the trip to St. Petersburg during the series.

In Milwaukee, roughly 31,000 fans filled American Family Field to watch the game on the stadium’s big screen. The final out came at 11:13 PM local time, sealing a title that ended a wait of more than half a century since the franchise moved to the city.